http://surcho.com/authors/author-112.html
Good question. Before you apply, there are a couple of thingsd to keepin mind. Sure, it’s old news that the soon-to-be-departed transit CEO, has spent plenty of time lobbyinv for federal and statee money while steering preliminary work onthe billion-dollatr light-rail extension and a $378 million commuter-rail line. Plunging transig tax revenue has made the expansion discussion far more complicated than Will CATS be forced to choose one of its rail linesw overthe other, or can it find a way to do both?
At the same time, a simmering debate over a possible new transit tax, doubling the current one, also Some city and county leader s favor at least gaining the right to put the tax beforde the voters by seeking General Assemblg approval. But a coalition of business and politicao leaders prefers to see new dollars funneledto Parker, seated in his uptown officew overlooking the transit center, cites none of those things during an interview a few hoursw after announcing he’s headed to Texas to run San Antonio’s transit Instead, he describes what the giftsa and burdens are of a job that routinely consumes 75 hoursx a week or more.
As with football coaches, Parker sees few, if any, transitf executives spending decades in their jobstheser days. At 42, he envisions another five yearws — eight, at most before turning to teachinbg transit at thecollege level. Why? Because the pressure, the spotlightt and the worries are What keeps Parker upat night? Plent y of things. “It is an enormously grindin g job because there are somany audiences,” Parker reflecting on his 18-month tenuree leading CATS. “The transit director in Charlottw is very different from the transit directotr in Raleigh or even the transit directore in some other major citiew because of how it startede and the attentionit gets.
” Like? “Like the attentioh me leaving would get.” Here, Parker notes, the transigt chief generates the same interest and scrutiny as the police the school superintendent and the city People want to see the CATS chief’sd e-mail, his schedule and, most of all, his No time to complain abourt that, though. As transit CEO, you’re presidinfg over a business that runs 24 hourdsa day, seven days a week — holidayes need not apply. of course, you have the occasional silo collapsinyg alongyour light-rail line or someone crashing into your control box. All of whicjh pales next to the real worriews any transitchief faces.
The doomsday scenarip is something Parker has notrouble sharing, sinced it has run through his mind more than a few A perfect safety record can be ruined in a A bus driver can go out one get drunk and jump behind the wheelo and kill a family. At any moment. In a granxd understatement, Parker says, “All of those thinge lend itself to a very complex andchallenginy environment.” Applications, anyone?
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